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Neuropathy

Adult Neurology & Electrodiagnostic Medicine located in Katy and Sugar Land, TX

Neuropathy services offered in Katy and Sugar Land, TX


Neuropathy is a broad term for conditions originating in nerves that cause loss of function, pain, and other distressing symptoms. If you develop neuropathy, visit Jontel Pierce, MD, at Mind Neurology Clinic, with two offices in Sugar Land and Katy, Texas. The neurology practice has considerable experience in diagnosing and treating patients with neuropathic pain and helping to restore the health of damaged nerves. Call Mind Neurology Clinic or book a consultation online today to benefit from expert care for your neuropathy.

Neuropathy Q & A

What is neuropathy?

Neuropathy typically refers to problems with your peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nerves originate in your spinal cord and spread throughout your body, receiving messages from your brain and returning sensory information. 

 

Peripheral nerves are the ones that tell you you’re cold, hot, or injured. Damaged or dysfunctional peripheral nerves disrupt the flow of information between your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the nerves. This results in distorted or incorrect sensory information and various unpleasant symptoms.

What symptoms does neuropathy cause? 

The neuropathy symptoms you experience vary depending on which of your peripheral nerves are affected. 

 

Damage to a single nerve causes numbness, tingling, prickling sensations, and weakness in an arm or leg. If multiple nerves suffer damage, you might experience similar symptoms on both sides of your body. 

 

You may also have problems like burning pain, muscle wastage, loss of physical function or paralysis, and in some cases, gland or organ dysfunction. Neuropathic pain can be severe and highly distressing.

What causes neuropathy? 

Neuropathy affecting multiple nerves might be caused by:

 

  • Toxins
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Infections like shingles (postherpetic neuralgia)
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Alcoholism
  • Inherited conditions like Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
  • Vascular diseases
  • Metabolic disorders like diabetes

 

Diabetes is the primary cause of neuropathy in the United States. It causes diabetic peripheral neuropathy, mainly in the lower limbs. Without the proper treatment, this condition could lead to diabetic ulcers, infection, and limb loss. 

 

Many people have idiopathic peripheral neuropathy, which means their doctors can’t find the cause.

How is neuropathy diagnosed? 

To diagnose your peripheral neuropathy symptoms, your Mind Neurology Clinic provider performs a thorough neurological exam and tests like electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) studies. These procedures identify the damaged nerves and assess the severity of the trauma. 

 

Blood tests can diagnose conditions like diabetes, kidney or liver dysfunction, infections, and vitamin deficiencies and detect signs of autoimmune disorders.

How is neuropathy treated?

Once your Mind Neurology Clinic provider identifies the cause of your neuropathy or determines it’s idiopathic, they can create a personalized treatment plan for you. Treatments for neuropathy may include:

 

  • Oral and topical pain-relief medications
  • Anti-seizure medicines
  • Low-dose antidepressants
  • Physical therapy
  • Nerve block injections
  • Steroid injections
  • Medical Botox®
  • Peripheral nerve or spinal cord stimulation

 

Healthy lifestyle changes like a balanced diet, exercise, weight management, and quitting smoking can help.

 

Call Mind Neurology Clinic today or book an appointment online for expert neuropathy treatment.